Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  King of the road - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By hes alive - March 31 - 2:00 am

  Great on the highway.loves to be off road... Very dependable in the snow...Good towing,Have Paint Contracting buisness pull a trailer 10Loaded with gear,can hardly tell its there! Off road in the winter hunting No problems!

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  Nice car for the money - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Manifesto11 - March 31 - 2:00 am

  This is a very nice car overall. Very spacious and comfortable. At 110,000 miles, the engine feels strong and sounds healthy, but has some delay when you push on the gas (it goes away if you use premium fuel). I had to replace the head gasket at 75,000 miles and have gone through several problems with the cooling system. Electrical system still works well. Glove box, both sun visors, and center counsole all dont work right because of cheap plastic parts. With this being said, the reliability is much better than any other american car that Ive owned. Not quite as fancy as an Accord or Camry, but this cars at a fraction of the price.

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  gave up an Expedition and good choice - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By dc chief - March 31 - 2:00 am

  I gave up a Expedition and I think I made a wise choice.

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  have had very little problems. - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By kenya - March 30 - 2:00 am

  have had very little problems with. except for the brakes and rotors and abs. runs well. a few dings

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  2004 s10 - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By Jimbo C. - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I just bought this 2004 s10 Crew Cab and i love it i test drove the new Colorado and they are nice but i dont think they compare to the s10. The s10 is much more comfortable and has a lot more torque. I dont know why Chevy is getting rid of it. All i buy is Chevy vehicles i think they are the best and nothing else even can come close.

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  2000hd2500extlb - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By bob 360 - March 30 - 2:00 am

  25004x4 ext cab 4door 6000 motor

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  Reliable, but could be better - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Hansjs - March 30 - 2:00 am

  I have had this car for nearly a year without any real maintenance problems, however there are few negatives as well. Fuel economy is fair at best(I have been getting 24 on the Highway), the engine is not very quiet, road noise is loud, and the interior ergonomics are not well thought. I will say that the engine is quick, I never have a problem merging right into traffic.

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  regret this buy - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By izzyb - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Ive had problems literally from the start. I have had 3 or 4 different radios installed (I lost count) because a cd got stuck, then the clock stopped keeping time. This took months for the service department to figure out what the problem was. Apparently it was a very unusual problem, and since then I have had countless others. Will not buy another one!

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  Trail Blazer! Great car to drive! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By electron bill - March 30 - 2:00 am

  Ive only had it a short time, but my 2003 Trail Blazer is really fun to drive. Its my first SUV; now I know why theyre so popular. My wife really likes it and I got the thumbs up from all my kids (in and out of college). The folks at Metro Chevrolet did an outstanding job of customer follow-up.

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  Good solid car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Classic
  By dirtworker - March 29 - 11:00 am

  I bought the car new and have put 10000 miles on it in a month. i live in Houston Texas and have not had any problems on the freeways. With ethanol blend gas I have got up to 38 mile to the gallon. The only thing I have had a problem with is the tire pressure sensor failing in one tire and having to go to the dealer for repair. The car has excellent visability and is very comfortable. I have spinal cord damage from a previous wreck and can drive for several hours with no discomfort thanks to the lumbar support and height adjustable driverseat. I was driving Toyota cars and since getting the Malibu i wont go back. I wish I had waited to get the new body type but I am very pleased so far.